Abstract: A paddle capable of reducing an influence of blocking the electric field and capable of improving its mechanical strength is disclosed. The paddle, which is configured to agitate a processing liquid in a processing tank by moving in the processing tank, includes a plurality of agitating beams that form a honeycomb structure. The honeycomb structure has a plurality of hexagonal through-holes formed by the plurality of agitating beams.

Abstract: There is provided a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate in an apparatus for plating. The substrate holder comprises a seal configured to seal an outer peripheral part of the substrate and provided with a first opening which a surface to be plated or a plating surface of the substrate is exposed on; and a seal ring holder configured to hold the seal and provided with a second opening which the plating surface of the substrate is exposed on, wherein an opening diameter ratio that is a ratio of an opening diameter of the second opening to an opening diameter of the first opening is in a range of not lower than 99.32% and not higher than 99.80%.

Abstract: An objective of the present invention is to provide a plating apparatus capable of improving uniformity of a plating film formed on a substrate. The plating apparatus includes a first potential sensor disposed at a first position in a region between a substrate held by a substrate holder and an anode, a second potential sensor disposed at a second position outside the region between the substrate held by the substrate holder and the anode, and a third potential sensor disposed at a third position different from the second position and outside the region between the substrate held by the substrate holder and the anode.

Abstract: An object is to precisely grasping, in real time, film thickness of a plated film during a plating process. A plating apparatus comprises: a plating tank for storing plating liquid; a substrate holder for holding a substrate; an anode arranged in the plating tank in such a manner that it faces the substrate held by the substrate holder; an electric potential sensor constructed in such a manner that it is arranged in a position close to the substrate held by the substrate holder, and measures electric potential of the plating liquid; and a state space model constructed to estimate current density of current flowing through an outer edge part of the substrate, based on a measured value of electric potential of the plating liquid obtained by the electric potential sensor and by using a state equation and an observation equation.

Abstract: A plating support system is provided and includes a simulator that predicts an in-plane uniformity value of a plating film formed on a substrate based on assumed conditions for an electroplating treatment of the substrate; a numerical analysis data storage unit that stores numerical analysis data in which each assumed condition is associated with the in-plane uniformity value for plural assumed conditions; a regression analysis unit that estimates a model that the in-plane uniformity value is an objective variable and variables of assumed conditions are explanatory variables by regression analysis based on the numerical analysis data; and an implement condition search unit that uses the estimated model to search for implement conditions that are recommended values of the assumed conditions related to the in-plane uniformity of the plating film formed in the electroplating treatment of the substrate to be plated.

Abstract: Provided is a technique that ensures the suppressed deterioration of plating quality of a substrate due to air bubbles that remain on a surface to be plated of the substrate. A plating apparatus 1000 includes a plating tank 10, a substrate holder 30, a rotation mechanism 40, and an elevating mechanism 50. The plating tank 10 is configured to accumulate a plating solution and include an anode 11 arranged inside the plating tank. The substrate holder 30 is arranged above the anode and configured to hold a substrate as a cathode such that a surface to be plated of the substrate faces downward. The substrate holder includes a ring 31 projecting below an outer peripheral edge of the surface to be plated of the substrate. The rotation mechanism 40 is configured to rotate the substrate holder. The elevating mechanism 50 is configured to elevate the substrate holder. The ring has a lower surface, and at least one protrusion 35 projecting toward a lower side is arranged on a part of the lower surface.

Abstract: Provided is a plating apparatus capable of improving uniformity of a plating film formed on a substrate. The plating apparatus includes a plating tank, a substrate holder that holds a substrate, and an anode disposed in the plating tank to oppose the substrate held by the substrate holder. The plating apparatus also includes a conduit having a first portion including an opening end disposed in a region between the substrate held by the substrate holder and the anode, and a second portion apart from the region between the substrate held by the substrate holder and the anode, the conduit having at least a part filled with a plating solution, and a potential sensor that is disposed in the second portion of the conduit and that is configured to measure a potential of the plating solution.

Abstract: Provided is a plate that is arranged between a substrate and an anode in a plating tank. This plate has a plurality of circular pores on each one of at least three reference circles that are concentric with each other and that are different from each other in diameter. The plurality of circular pores include three circular pores that are arranged respectively on adjacent three of the at least three reference circles, and that have centers which are out of alignment with each other on an arbitrary radius on the plate.

Abstract: A paddle for agitating a plating solution by reciprocating parallel to a surface of a substrate is disclosed. The paddle includes a plurality of vertically-extending agitation rods. Each agitation rod includes: a planar portion perpendicular to a reciprocating direction of the paddle; two slope surfaces extending from side ends of the planar portion in directions closer to each other, the two slope surfaces being symmetric with respect to a center line of the agitation rod, the center line being perpendicular to the planar portion; and a tip portion connected with the two slope surfaces.

Abstract: To improve uniformity of a plating film-thickness formed on a substrate. A plating module 400 includes a plating tank 410 for housing a plating solution, a substrate holder 440 for holding a substrate Wf, an anode 430 housed within the plating tank 410, an anode mask 460 arranged between the substrate Wf held by the substrate holder 440 and the anode 430 and provided with an opening 466 in a center, and an ionically resistive element 450 arranged at an interval from the anode mask 460 between the substrate Wf held by the substrate holder 440 and the anode mask 460 and provided with a plurality of holes.

Abstract: A technique capable of preventing bubbles from being accumulated on a lower surface of an electric field shield plate is provided. A plating apparatus includes: a plating tank in which a plating solution is retained, and an anode is arranged: a substrate holder that is arranged above the anode, and holds a substrate serving as a cathode such that a surface to be plated of the substrate faces the anode; a diaphragm that partitions an inside of the plating tank into an anode region where the anode is arranged, and a cathode region where the substrate is arranged; and a supporting member that is in contact with a lower surface of the diaphragm and supports the diaphragm, and includes a plurality of beam components extending over regions between the anode and the substrate along the lower surface of the diaphragm, the beam components including bubble guide paths for guiding bubbles from the regions between the anode and the substrate to an outside.

Abstract: A plating device includes: an anode; a substrate holder which holds a substrate; a substrate contact which comes into contact with a peripheral edge portion of the substrate; a resistor which is disposed in a way of facing the substrate holder between the anode and the substrate holder, and is used for adjusting ion movement; and a rotation driving mechanism which causes the resistor and the substrate holder to relatively rotate. The resistor includes: a shielding region which forms an outer frame and shields the ion movement between the anode and the substrate; and a resistance region which is formed on the radially inner side of the shielding region, and has a porous structure allowing the passage of an ion. An outer diameter of the resistance region has an amplitude centering on an imaginary reference circle, and has a wave shape which is periodic and annularly continuous.

Abstract: A plating module includes a plating tank, a substrate holder, an elevating mechanism, an anode, an ionically resistive element, a supply pipe, and a bypass pipe. The substrate holder is for holding a substrate Wf with a surface to be plated Wf-a facing downward. The elevating mechanism is for moving up and down the substrate holder. The anode is disposed inside the plating tank so as to face the substrate Wf held by the substrate holder. The ionically resistive element is disposed between the anode and the substrate Wf. The supply pipe is for supplying a process liquid stored in a reservoir tank from a lower side of the ionically resistive element to the plating tank. The bypass pipe is for discharging the process liquid supplied to the plating tank via the supply pipe from the lower side of the ionically resistive element to the reservoir tank.

Abstract: A plating method for plating a substrate by increasing a current value from a predetermined current value to a first current value is provided. The plating method plates the substrate for a first predetermined period with the first current value when a first current density corresponding to the first current value is lower than a limiting current density. This plating method includes measuring a voltage value applied to the substrate, and when the current value is increased from the predetermined current value to the first current value, determining whether the first current density is equal to or more than the limiting current density or not based on an amount of change in the voltage value.

Abstract: An object is to enhance the accuracy of porosity and/or the flexibility in adjustment of the porosity in each portion of a plate. There is provided a plate that is placed between a substrate and an anode in a plating tank. The plate comprises a pore forming area in which a plurality of pores are formed, wherein the pore forming area includes a center portion, a middle portion located on an outer side of the center portion, and an outer circumferential portion located on an outer side of the middle portion, the center portion and the outer circumferential portion of the pore forming area have a plurality of oblong pores, and the middle portion of the pore forming area has a plurality of circular pores.

Abstract: A method of the present disclosure includes: plating a plurality of substrates using a substrate holder; determining a total number of substrates that have been plated using the substrate holder until a failure occurs in the substrate holder; determining a first processable number and a second processable number; generating a first data set constituted by a combination of first condition data and the first processable number, the first condition data representing a state of a component of the substrate holder; generating a second data set constituted by a combination of second condition data and the second processable number, the second condition data representing a state of a component of the substrate holder; and optimizing a parameter of a prediction model constituted by a neural network using training data including the first data set and the second data set.

Abstract: A plating method for plating a substrate having resist opening portions is provided. The plating method includes a resist residue removing step of removing resist residues in the resist opening portions of the substrate by spraying first process liquid to a surface of the substrate on which the resist opening portions are formed, a liquid filling step of soaking the substrate passed through the removing step in second process liquid to fill the resist opening portions of the substrate with the second process liquid, and a plating step of plating the substrate passed through the liquid filling step.

Abstract: A plating apparatus that allows shielding a specific portion of a substrate at a desired timing is achieved. The plating apparatus includes a plating tank 410 for housing a plating solution, an anode 430 arranged in the plating tank 410, a substrate holder 440 for holding a substrate Wf with a surface to be plated facing downward, a rotation mechanism 447 for rotating the substrate holder 440, and a shielding mechanism 460 moving a shielding member 482 between the anode 430 and the substrate Wf depending on a rotation angle of the substrate holder 440.

Abstract: A plating method capable of saving a substrate in an event of a failure of a transporter, a plating tank, or other component when the substrate is being plated is disclosed. The plating method includes: transporting a plurality of substrates to a plurality of plating tanks, respectively, with a transporter; immersing the plurality of substrates in a plating solution held in the plurality of plating tanks to plate the plurality of substrates; detecting a failure that has occurred in the transporter or a post-processing tank; and replacing the plating solution in the plurality of plating tanks with a preservative liquid to thereby immerse the plurality of substrates in the preservative liquid.

Abstract: A plating module includes a plating tank, a substrate holder, an elevating mechanism, an anode, an ionically resistive element, a supply pipe, and a bypass pipe. The substrate holder is for holding a substrate Wf with a surface to be plated Wf-a facing downward. The elevating mechanism is for moving up and down the substrate holder. The anode is disposed inside the plating tank so as to face the substrate Wf held by the substrate holder. The ionically resistive element is disposed between the anode and the substrate Wf. The supply pipe is for supplying a process liquid stored in a reservoir tank from a lower side of the ionically resistive element to the plating tank. The bypass pipe is for discharging the process liquid supplied to the plating tank via the supply pipe from the lower side of the ionically resistive element to the reservoir tank.